Land Management Plan

The Land Management Plan is a transparent annual process to solicit public input on the possible lease or sale of City owned land.  A summary of the process is provided below.



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The Ordinance

that created the Land Management Plan process was first adopted in 2001.  It was in response to requests by citizens to either purchase or lease city-owned land, but done without public input.  The intent of the new ordinance (“law”) was to provide a formal public forum to receive public input at several public hearings before the City Council and Planning Commission to determine if the proposed disposition of city-owned land was appropriate.  It is also to allow property owners in the vicinity of such proposals to provide valuable input into the process.

What is the process to add parcels to the Plan?

 Every August, the City advertises in the local paper to solicit proposals for parcels to be entered into the Land Management Plan.  The proposals can be submitted by businesses, developers, or citizens.  The City Council considers the requests each October, and determines which merit further consideration.  These are sent to the Planning Commission for their input and recommendation.  Prior to this hearing, property owners within 300 feet are notified.  Following the hearing and public input, the Planning Commission submits its recommendation to the City Council.

The City Council typically holds a public hearing in December or January to consider the Planning Commission recommendation.  The City Council makes a determination whether to add the proposal to the Land Management Plan.

Addition of properties added to the Land Management Plan does not guarantee that the site will ever be developed.  This is only the first step in the process, providing the public the first opportunity to give input on development of City-owned land. 
  1. Process
  2. Application Requirements
  3. FAQ
  4. 2020 LMP Application Maps

Land Management Plan Process

Step What happens
Notice of Application Period The City Clerk publishes a notice in the newspaper to announce that the City will accept applications for parcels to be included into the Land Management Plan.  Application period begins September 1st.  Deadline is generally the last Thursday of September
Acceptance of Applications City accepts new requests for parcels to be included in the Land Management Plan each September
Initial Review City Council performs an initial review of the submissions.  Those it desires to consider are forwarded to the Planning Commission for additional review.  This review typically takes place in October
Planning Commission Review The Planning Commission holds a public hearing for each of the proposed areas for inclusion in the Land Management Plan.  Property owners within 300 feet of the subject parcel(s) are sent a hearing notice with the date and time of the hearing so that they may offer their comments.  The Planning Commission at the conclusion of the hearing is charged with making recommendations regarding the proposal to the City Council for their consideration.  This hearing typically takes place in November.
Final Review The City Council holds a public hearing, receives the recommendations by the Planning Commission, and determines whether or not to include the proposed parcel within the Land Management Plan for the specified use.  This review typically takes place in December - January, but no later than February 15th of the following year.
Implementation  Every year the City Council reviews the adopted Land Management Plan and directs City Staff to take action (or no action) on the items within the Plan.  The Implementation Directive can be held in conjunction with the adoption of the annual plan or at a separate meeting.  Generally the Implementation Directive occurs in January or February of each year.